The Benefits of Listening – for Lawmakers and Nonprofits Alike

Like many state associations of nonprofits, the North Carolina Center for Nonprofits hosts town hall meetings around the state to bring elected officials and nonprofits together to promote dialogue, understanding, and problem solving. Reporting on his 2017 town-hall experiences in a blog posting, David Heinen, vice president for public policy and advocacy for the North Carolina Center shared these insights:

Views of Elected Officials

A state Senator said, “Nonprofit advocates are the most bipartisan part of policy discussions,” noting that legislators across the political spectrum appreciate the work of nonprofits. He reminded nonprofits of the importance of both: (1) telling their stories effectively; and (2) showing policymakers evidence about the impact of their programs and services.

Two state Representatives described how their experiences working with nonprofits has shaped their policy priorities.

A House Appropriations Committee co-chair explained (and then demonstrated) the importance of legislators listening carefully to insights from nonprofits as they make important funding and policy decisions.

A staff member for a U.S. Representative made clear that her boss’ top priorities this year are preserving incentives for charitable giving in tax reform and ensuring that Congress looks to cut nonprofits’ red tape as part of its regulatory reform efforts.

Nonprofits’ Fears

As Congress looks at tax reform, many nonprofits are worried that incentives for charitable giving will be reduced.

Nonprofits have a variety of concerns about potential changes to health care policy. Some participants expressed apprehension that the potential repeal of the Affordable Care Act, reductions in preventative health programs, and block granting of Medicaid will mean more members of their communities will be uninsured, increasing burdens on nonprofits.

Participants expressed concerns about a wide range of potential federal funding cuts, including potential reductions to affordable housing programs, domestic violence grants, food assistance and other welfare programs, national service programs, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

There was widespread concern that proposals to politicize charitable nonprofits by repealing the so-called Johnson Amendment would have a devastating effect on nonprofits’ credibility and financial resources.

Opportunities for Nonprofits

David Heinen explains in his article that the town hall participants were encouraged to see that having a new President and a new Governor of North Carolina creates opportunities for some potential public policy advances for their organizations and the nonprofit sector in 2017 and beyond. Here are a few examples:

Several participants noted that a renewed discussion of health care policy could lead to changes that could allow nonprofits to provide more affordable coverage for their employees.

Some remarked that a bipartisan interest in improving infrastructure could help improve public resources that are important to many nonprofits – such as transportation options for seniors and individuals with disabilities.

Several participants noted that national discussions about student debt could lead to improvements to make higher education more affordable, allowing more young people to consider careers in the nonprofit sector.

All of which is to show that good things can happen when nonprofits and elected officials sit down together to listen to community concerns and fears, and then roll up their collective sleeves to seek common solutions.